


Bar, Pianist, Star

by decentlysane



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bar/Pub, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Muggle, Alternate Universe - Pianist, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Awkward Flirting, Awkward Remus Lupin, First Meetings, M/M, One Shot, Pianist Sirius Black, Piano, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, why was pianist sirius black already a tag?? that's amazing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-14 01:20:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29909958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/decentlysane/pseuds/decentlysane
Summary: He was young- around Remus's age, surely, with high cheekbones and dark, wavy hair. His eyes were closed in concentration as he played the old piano, a slight smile playing at his lips as his fingers glided across the ivory keys. Though Remus had never seen him play here, he held himself like he owned the room- like he was the star of the show, if you will.Remus swallowed, eyes glued to the young man. Was this him? The words on his arm seemed to be tingling. He didn't even realize he was staring until the pianist had opened his eyes and was meeting his gaze. He flashed a smile.Feeling his cheeks flush, Remus looked away as his drink was placed down in front of him, grateful for new focus. The pianist must have known that he had been staring. He drained half of his drink before gathering his courage and glancing back at the young man. He had turned his attention back to his instrument, but was smiling smugly.Well.--Remus knows exactly three things about his soulmate. One is that they'll meet at a bar. Another is that he plays piano. The last is that he's a star- presumably the famous sort, not a literal one. Remus finds himself frequenting the local piano bar quite a lot.
Relationships: Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Kudos: 8





	Bar, Pianist, Star

**Author's Note:**

> In this soulmate AU, you have three words on you wrist. The first one it where you'll meet your soulmate. The second is a defining characteristic/personality trait. The last is something that identifies them further without giving a name, and will usually have some sort of overlap for both soulmates. 
> 
> The difference between the second and the third would be something like this- the second word is intelligent, but the third one is scientist. It gives a trait, but then specifies a job. And their soulmate will probably also have a job on their mark. It's not always a job, though- sometimes it's a more specific characteristic, sometimes it's more metaphorical.
> 
> Who cares? Probably only me. You don't really need this for the story. Enjoy!

The comforting sound of piano keys plunking out their notes and a pleasant drone of background conversations was just enough to get Remus to stop thinking too much for the night as he walked up to the bar to order his drink. It wasn't like there was anything specific he wanted to get his mind off of- the day hadn't been worse than all the others, really- but there was something inside him insisting that he needed to be here tonight, and who was he to argue? Music and alcohol weren't exactly things that Remus wanted to avoid.

Remus had been coming to this bar as often as possible since he discovered it. It was convenient for him, about halfway between the school and his house. It wasn't like he was an alcoholic- most nights, he only ever had one drink. He mainly went because of the words on his wrist. He didn't know for sure that it was the right bar, but what was the harm in trying?

He knew that the normal pianist wasn't his soulmate. Remus had worked up the courage to approach him one night for a chat, but he had not so subtly dropped that he was happily married to his soulmate in the first conversation. Not that Remus had minded- save some mild embarrassment, he had mostly just been relieved. Besides being a musician, James wasn't really his type.

After he ordered, Remus looked over to the piano to see who he thought would be a familiar face playing. Instead, he saw someone new. Someone who happened to be absolutely gorgeous.

He was young- around Remus's age, surely, with high cheekbones and dark, wavy hair. His eyes were closed in concentration as he played the old piano, a slight smile playing at his lips as his fingers glided across the ivory keys. Though Remus had never seen him play here, he held himself like he owned the room- like he was the star of the show, if you will.

Remus swallowed, eyes glued to the young man. Was this him? The words on his arm seemed to be tingling. He didn't even realize he was staring until the pianist had opened his eyes and was meeting his gaze. He flashed a smile.

Feeling his cheeks flush, Remus looked away as his drink was placed down in front of him, grateful for new focus. The pianist must have known that he had been staring. He drained half of his drink before gathering his courage and glancing back at the young man. He had turned his attention back to his instrument, but was smiling smugly.

Well.

Should he approach him? The felt somewhat invasive. "Hi, I think you match my soulmark, may I see your arm?" had never been an appropriate way to start a conversation.

Remus gave a great sigh and began nursing his drink, stealing quick looks at the musician as he kept playing and berating himself for not behaving or thinking like a normal person. It wasn't odd to see someone who looked like they might fit the words on your wrist. He had done it with James, after all. You just approached the subject lightly, smoothly, and moved on if there wasn't obvious overlap. Why did he feel like his heart was going to leap out of his chest. Was it normal to feel like your words were heating up? He forced himself to stop looking and just listen.

"You here alone?"

The question startled Remus back to reality. How long had he zoned out? He turned his head to respond to the voice, and was met with the face of the pianist, who had sat down at the barstool next to him. In his panic, the only response he was able to form was,

"Huh?"

The pianist smiled, more to himself than at Remus, and said, "Are you here alone? Are you waiting for anyone?"

"Oh. Yeah." Remus nodded, feeling very foolish for saying it. What if this guy was a serial killer, making sure he was an easy target? Weren't some serial killers supposedly devilishly handsome? "I usually come here alone." Yikes. That sounded sad.

But the man sitting next to him gave a smile- one actually directed at him. "Oh? Why's that?"

Remus shrugged. "I like coming alone. Let's me listen to the music." He realized that there still was music playing, and looked over the young man's shoulder to see that James had reclaimed his spot on the bench. "You're not the normal pianist, though," he said. "Where was James earlier?"

"You know James?"

"Erm, a bit," Remus said. "Just because I come here so often. We've talked a bit. Seems nice."

"Yeah, James is great," the pianist nodded. "We've been best mates for ages. He just needed me to cover for a bit tonight- his wife was getting off work late so he needed to be home to watch his kid for an extra hour."

"That was good of you," Remus said.

The compliment was waved away. "Nah. I love playing. Nice to get paid for it, for once."

For once. Did he not perform often? Maybe the dreamy musician wasn't the star he hoped he would be- not that Remus was trying to be factitious. He just liked this guy- it would've been nice for him to match his soulmark.

"Do you not normally perform?" he asked hopeful the answer wouldn't be how it sounded.

"Not really. Sometimes I cover for James here. Mostly I play for myself. I play for my friend's events when they need me to, though."

"Oh." Remus was feeling bullheaded today. Something about this guy- there was something there. Something that Remus hadn't recognized in other people who seemed to fit into his three words. He wasn't giving up, not until he knew for sure. "Have you ever considered trying to do any sort of performing with it more often?"

"Why?" the pianist gave him a curious look. "You a talent scout or something?"

Remus gave a small laugh and shook his head. "No. I just think you were playing rather well."

"Surprised you even noticed how I was playing," the pianist responded, the comment quickly followed by a smug smile and a quick wink.

Remus felt himself going red. He really had been that obvious, had he?

There was a few moments of silence before the musician broke them. "What's your name, then?"

"Uh, Remus," he stuttered. "Remus Lupin." He stuck out his hand. "You?"

"Sirius Black." He took his hand and shook it.

Remus furrowed his brow. Something about that name- what did Sirius mean? Unless his name was 'Serious'?

"So, Remus," Sirius continued, ignoring what was surely a strange look from Remus. "What do you do if you aren't a talent scout?"

"I'm an English teacher," Remus said. "I teach at the high school a few blocks from here."

This seemed to prompt a strange look from Sirius. "So... would you say you're a bookworm, then?"

The question was a strange one. Remus took in for a moment the way Black was looking at him- almost scrutinizing. Was he trying to figure it out, too? Hope fluttered in Remus's chest before he responded. "Yeah. I was sick a lot as a kid, and we didn't have a TV, so I read a lot. The habit stuck with me, and now I force teenagers to do it."

Sirius laughed, and Remus felt a little too proud of that. 

"So, what's with the name 'Sirius'?" Remus asked, feeling a bit bolder after Sirius's questioning.

The young man smiled bitterly. "Oh yeah," he said. "Noticed my parents hated me, did you?"

Remus regretted asking the question, and he must have looked it, because Sirius's eyes widened.

"Sorry, sorry, maybe that was too dark of a joke so soon," he said. "Don't get me wrong, my parents and I didn't get along, but I'm past that now. My family just has weird naming traditions and I lump it in with everything else."

"Sorry." Remus winced.

"No, don't be," Sirius insisted. "How were you supposed to know? Anyway, my whole family's named after galaxy stuff. I'm named after the dog star. Hence, Sirius."

He was named after a star. It was all starting to click now. Remus laughed.

"Yeah, it's terribly snobbish, isn't it?"

"No, no- well, it is, but that's not it. Err," Remus paused, trying to think how to politely phrase it, before just going for it. "Sirius, you fit my soulmark." He pulled up his sleeve to show the other man. It a neat, crisp font, bold, black letters stood stark against his light skin.

Bar  
Pianist  
Star

Sirius read them over and over again before looking up. "Blimey," he breathed. "I was about to say something to you, too. I thought you might fit mine..." He pulled up his own sleeve. In the same style lettering was his own soulmark.

Bar  
Bookworm  
Wolf

"I was only unsure about 'wolf'," Sirius said. "But you did come alone, so I was thinking maybe 'lone wolf'. Would that fit you?"

But Remus had started laughing. "I mean, I am a bit introverted, but I don't think that's how it fits me," he said between laughs. "I'm named after a character in Roman mythology who was raised by wolves, and my last name comes from the Latin word for wolf. Just like my 'star' is explained your name."

Sirius was quiet for a moment before laughing. "Man, and I thought my family was ridiculous with names," he chuckled. "But here's my soulmate, Wolfy Wolferton." He smiled, pleased with his own joke.

"It gets worse," Remus said, enjoying the humor his soulmate- man, that felt good- was taking from it. "My mother's maiden name? Howell."

That made Sirius howl. Several other patrons looked over from their seats at Sirius, who was shaking with laughter. "Sorry," he wheezed. "I... I think I'm just a bit giddy. I can't believe I found you."

"Me, too," Remus said. Despite his excitement, he also felt a bit uncomfortable. What were you supposed to say to your soulmate once you met them? What do you say to someone you don't know at all but are going to spend the rest of your life with?

"Can I buy you a drink?" Sirius asked.

"Sure," Remus agreed. It seemed as good a place as any to start.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing for Wolfstar, but I really do love these two together. I have managed to convert a lot of my friends to this ship, and while I doubt many non-shippers are reading this, I hope I helped further cement your love of this couple! I wrote this pretty fast, so apologies for any typos, I'll try to come back and edit it later!


End file.
